The Common and Bridge House demoltion projects have been joined by the old Speedicars building on Coulgate Street, which is now a smoking pile of rubble.

There were long-standing plans to redevelop this site, but they had stalled when we enquired last summer. We're asking for an update now and will let you know when and if we hear what's happening. A good-quality development on that site would be good news and strengthen the argument for the part-pedestrianisation of Coulgate Street.

UPDATE: Although we're yet to hear back from our official enquiries, the builder taking a hammer to masonry this morning claimed that flats were being built on site, which would tally with the original plans.

...or our paths. The patch outside the Tea Factory is really terrible. I find it midly frustrating/amusing that the paving contractors will happily dig up complete un-cracked paving slabs on revelon road but then neglect to do anything about areas of paving which are deathtraps (with many severely uneven slabs).

ok more flats, well people need to live somewhere. I am a bit disappointed, where will they park their inevitable cars? Also events on coulgate street will need to consult even more people with various needs.

anyone know or has a view on the plans for the site at the bottom of Malpas road?? it's currently home to a small rundown warehouse - a flooring company operates out of there. Think the plans are for a mixed residential/small business development? Forgot to note down the planning application number.

Yeah I had an email from the vilified JPM. The developer who had proposed a quite large building on Ashby Rd has come back with a smaller development. He will basically extend the existing building without demolishing.

On the surface it looks like a more sympathetic development however it seems that the developer (Dr Simon George) has a history of developing mental rehabilitation units for people with brain trauma which eventually get rented to private firms which turn them into care in the community homes for people with challenging behaviour, drug users and/or people with violent anti-social tendencies, which doesn't sound promising.

Also he has previously made a number of smaller applications on other sites after having larger developments rejected and once these smaller developments have been accepted he makes applications to extend by purchasing other sites nearby which he then links up. Apparently there is a rumour that the developer already intends to do that along Ashby Mews (if he can get permission). He has a history of doing this across London apparently and has already done it in a few locations.

So it all sounds a little fishy. Also if we're to have a massive nursery on Manor Avenue then should we really be housing potentially violent offenders round the corner on Ashby Road?!

The Ashby Road 'brain trauma'unit, (really a mental health unit), is for 'persons who should be detained under the Mental Health Act'. If you believe the developer though, at the gateway to a noisy and busy industrial units, seems such an odd location for patients with 'brain trauma'. It's not owned by the council, as the developer also likes to give out. Someone wrote here on this some time back.